Coupling strip



H. E. SIPE COUPLING STRIP Aug. e, 1929.

Filed March 7. 1928 INVENTOR .Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES HARRY E. sIrE, or Naw Yoan, at. Y.

COUPLING STRIP.

Application filed March 7, 1928. Serial-No. 259,883.

iThis invention relates to coupling stripsand particularly to devices ofthis class composed of rubber or similar yieldable material for use incoupling two or more body members together or in mounting one bodymember in connection with another; and the object of the invention is toprovide a strip of the class specified, comprising an elongated body ofrubber with means thereon for engaging one or morewsurfaces of one bodymember to prevent the displacement of said strip in coupling anotherbody member therewith and to securely couple said body members 'and toprovide a yielding or cushion mounting for said body parts one withrelation to the other; a further object being to provide a strip of theclass specified, one or more of which may be employed in cou pling twobody members together, and a rigid coupling member or strip cooperatingwith the first named strip or strips confining the same as to ex ansionin one or more directions; and wit these and other objects 'in view, theinvention consists in a coupling strip and method of coupling bodymembers together, which is simple in construction, ,-eilicient in useand which is constructed as l hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the folj lowing specification, ofwhich the' accompanying drawin forms a part, in which the separate partso my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters 1n eachof the views, and in which:

Fi lisa sectional and perspective view showlng one method of carrying myinvention into effect.

Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are cross sectional views of modified :formsof construction.

Fig.l 6a is an extended sectional view of a part of the constructioncontained in Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional, detail views showing a method of couplingtwo members I arranged angularly with reference to each 4.5 other in acorner post or body; and,

Fig. 1() is a sectional, detail View showing'v another form of cornerconstruction.

This application includes divisional subject matter of 'a priorapplication filed by me September 16, 1927, and bearing Serial No.220,050. In the present case, my invention consists in the provision ofa coupling strip or body preferably composed of rubber or rubbercomposition, but which may be 55 composed of any similar yieldable,material,

ing from one face thereof, for example, the

flanges c on the the parts o.

In all of these figures, I also employ a channel-shaped coupling memberor body e of rigid material, which cooperates with the flanges c and lin coupling the members a and 7) together by the use of my improvedcoupling strip or strips.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the ianges c' and Zare provided at their inner ends with laterally extending fiangeportions 1l and 12. Spaced longitudinally of each liange c and @l andfashioned from the material thereof, are outwardly extending lugs 13.One lug in the flange c is shown in section, and one lug of the flange dis shown in elevation.

-In this construction, I employ two similarly formed coupling strips 14,one of which is positioned between 4the flange c and one side wall ofthe channeled coupling e, and the other of which is positioned betweenthe iiange d and the other wall of said coupling, it being noted thatthe 4lugs 13 extend into thebody of the strips 14. The Aside edges ofsaid strips are confined between the members -b and the liange portions11 and l2. The outer faces of the strips 14 are provided parts a and theHanges d on with longitudinally arranged and transversely spacedgrooves, forming correspondingly arranged and spaced ribs 15 which. areinclined in the direction of the members a and b and are adapted to becompressed and flexed in mounting the members ai and b in the coupling ein securing said members together. In this construction, I alsopreferably employ an intermediate strip 16 which may be of rigid oryield'able material, and which is arranged between the adjacent faces ofthe anges 'c and d. With this construction, as well as with thestructures shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the latter being later describedof the members 15 thereon.

in detail, the operation of securing the mem-` bers a. and b togetherbyplacing the flanges c and d with the coupling strips or body employed inthe coupling member e or the latter upon` such flanges and strips, thestrips or coupling body are placed under compression. and the projectingheads are flexed in the direction of the members a and b to prevent theremoval or separation of the coupling e when once placed in posilugs 13are omitted as is also the intermedi-` ate strip 16, the flanges cV andal being brought together in an abutting relation, and the entirecoupling is made by the strips 14 with the members 15 thereon mounted onthe outer faces of theflanges o and d and lyyithin the side walls of thecoupling memer e.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, the lugs 13 are also omitted and thisstructure differs from that shown in Fig. 1 in the provision of aunitary coupling strip or body I7, the

out-er side walls of which are provided with ribs or projections 18which may be simi-` lar to the ribs 15. The side portions of said stripare joined by a crosshead-19 arranged between the back wall Aof thechanneled coupling e and the flange portions 11 and 12. the latter beingimbedded in the strip 17.

` The flanges c and d extend through said A strip and are spaced apartby a-body of rubber or cushioning material 20. In this construction` thecoupling strip 17 is preferably fashioned with slots or -recesses intowhich the flanges e and d and flange portions 11 and 12 may be placed.

In Fig. 4 ofthe drawing, I have shown a coupling strip 21 which is ofsubstantially dove-tailed cross sectional form, and is pro vided at itsouter side with a dove-tailed recess 22 extending longitudinallythereof, in which the flanges c and i and flange portions 11 and 12 areplaced to key the members a and b within and to the coupling strip 21.In this construction, the coupling body e or the side walls thereof sareforced inwardly by suitablepressure, sufficienti toplace the couplingstrip 21 or the side walls thereof under compression, or sufiicient ten.

sion to securely couple the arts a; and l) together. With. this form oconstruction, the rib members or otherlprojections 15--18 are notemployed, and this is also true of the construction shown in Fig. 5.

,of a supply tube,or a channel tube. the side walls of which are forcedinwardly under pressure to conform with and place the coupling strip 23under suflicient pressure to securely and fixedly couple the members a1and b' together.

'In Fig. 6 of the drawing,'I have shown a coupling strip 25, somewhatsimilar to the st-rip 17 but which is preferably formed from a flat bodyas seen in Fig. 6a of the drawing, which is bent or otherwise fashionedinto U-shaped or channel formation to provide on the outer exposed sidewalls, projecting members 26, similar to the members 15 and 18 whichengage the sidev walls of the coupling e. The strip 25, when folded,forms within'the back and side walls, a dove-tailed recess 27 in .whichthe flanges c and d are positioned. In this construction, said flangesare angularlydisposed to eachother instead of being parallel as in theother gures heretofore mentioned, so as to engage the :ingular walls 28forming the dove-tailed recess 27.

In Fig. 7 of fthe drawing, the flanges c and d are arranged at a slightangle toeach other, and acoupling strip 29 1s arranged between theflanges c and d' inthe form of a spacing strip, the inner end v30 ofsaid strip beingA enlargedJ to overlie the ends of the flanges c and d.The outer end of the strip 29 is preferably beaded as seen at 31 andextended over' the outer faces of the members a and b to form abead-like joint between the adjacent walls of the members and b. Thisarrangement may also apply to the structure shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 ifdesired, depending entirely upon the requirementsin the many uses of myinvention. In securing the parts a and b together with the strip 29therebetween, the pressure is applied to the side walls of the couplinge to place the strip `29 under compression.V

In Fig. 8 of the drawing, I have shown one method of coupling angularlydisposed body members or walls 32 and 33 together. These walls may be inthe form of metal, wood, glass, hard rubber, bakelite or similar panels.In this construction, I employ channel-shaped coupling bodies 34 and 35having their channels arranged at right angles to each other to form a.corner post body structure. `The members 34 and 35 .in the constructionshown are secured together by inner and outer sheets 36 and 37, theinner sheet being folded around one side wall of each member 34-35 asseen at 36a and 36" whereas the strip 37 is folded around of thecoupling strips employed, without disthe other side walls as seen at 37aand 37b, thus coupling said members together.

With this construetion,Iemploy U-shaped coupling strips 38, both of'which arel of similar construction and are mounted within the channelsof the members 34 and The inner faces of the strips 38 are provided withlongitudinally arranged andv inwardly directed ribs or projections 39adapted to engage opposite. side walls of the channels 32 and 33, andwhich are flexed inwardly in the operation of inserting said panels inthc channels of the strip 38, placing said strips under compression inthis operation, to securely couple the panels to the couplings 34 andand also to retain the strips 36 and 37 in place.

In Fig. 9 ofthe drawing, I have shown at 40 a corner post constructionfashioned from a single sheet of material, and provided at the oppositesides of said sheet, channeled members 41 and 42, the channels of whichare directedl angularly to each other and at right angles in theconstruction shown. With this construction, two panel bodies 39%l and33a similar to the bodies 32 and 33 are coupled with the corner post 40by mounting the same in U-shaped coupling strips 38Il similar in allrespects to the strips 38 shown in Fig. 8.

In Fig. 10 of the drawing, I have shown two body members 43 and 44arranged angularly to each other and at right angles in the constructionshown. The adjacent edges of said members to be coupled together areprovided with inwardly directed flanges 45 and 46 respectively, similarin construction to the flanges c and ZZ shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In coupling the members 43 and 44 together, a U-shaped coupling strip 47substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 4 is mounted upon theflanges 45 and 46 and is placed under compression in this operation by.a U-shaped coupling body 48 substantially similar to the coupling eshown in Fig. 5.

It will be apparent that with'my improved method of coupling two or/more body membersl together, the desired attachment ory yimprovedconstruction'will also enable each body member to withstand a certainamount of shock or strain, permitting the body members to yieldrelatively to' each other to a slight extent under the resiliencyplacing the parts or causing serious damage thereto when subjected toslight jolts, jars or vibrations. It will also be apparent that neat.and finished corners or intersections of body members will be providedwith my improved Fconstruction, and where there are Iflush but invisibleseams or joints, the portions Aprovided lintermediate the adjacent*edges of the members may be fashioned to provide this result.

My invention may be used for many purposes such for example in couplingtwo sheet metal or other body members together in the construction ofthev bodies ofmotor vehicles, sheet metal ydoor and door frameconstruction, cabinet and furniture structure, structural work of anykind or class, or where similar body members are coupled toglether, itbeing understood that any materia Wvhile I have shown certain forms ofcoupling strips, and a few methods of arranging and mounting the same incoupling body members together, it will be understood that my inventionis not necessarily limited to the specific structures herein shown anddescribed, and various other changes therein and modifications thereofmay be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departingfrom the spirit of my invention or sacri cing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new andv desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A coupling stri of the class described for use in coupling two bodyparts together comprising a body of yielding material engaging a portionof each of said parts, and a coupling member cooperating with said striplfor placing the same under compression to secure said parts together,said strip including projecting members on one face thereof adapted tobe flexed in coupling said parts together.

2.V A couplin strip of the class described for use in coup ing two bodyparte together comprising a .body of yielding material engaging aportion of each of said parts, a coupling member cooperating with saidstrip may be employed in such members.l

for placing the same under compression to I secure said parts together,said strip including projecting members on one face thereof adapted tobe flexed in coupling' said parts together, and a body interposedbetween the adjacent faces of said parts when coupled together to form afinished seam between said parts.

,3. A cou lingv of the classdescribed comprising a c annel-shapedcoupling member, and a coupling strip of yieldable material for securingtwo body parts together, said body parts having ortions arranged withlnthechannel of said) member and said strip being interposed' between saidcouplmg for securing two body parts together, said body parts havingportions arranged Within the channel' of said member and said stripbeing interposed between said coupling member and said portions andbeing placed under compression in coupling said parts together, saidstrip including projecting members adapted to be dexed in the operationof coupling vsaid parts together, and a body interposed between theadjacent portions oi' said body parts.

5. A coupling oil the class described comprising a channel-shapedcoupling member, and a coupling strip ot yieldable material for securingtwo body parts together, said body parts having portions arranged Withinthe channel of said member and said strip being interposed between saidcoupling member and said portions and being placed under compression incoupling said parts together, said strip including projecting membersadapted to be flexed in the operation of coupling said parts together,and a body interposed between the adjacent portions of said body partsand said body constituting part of said strip.

6. A coupling of the class described for use' in coupling two body partstogether comprising a strip of yielding material engaging a portion ofeach of said parts. a coupling member of rigid material cooperatingwith5 said strip to limit the expansion thereof, and said strip andcoupling member slidably engaging said body parts in coapling the sametogether, placing said strip under compression in this operation tosecure said parts together.

7. vA coupling of the class described comprising a channel-shapedcoupling member of rigid material and a coupling strip of yieldingmaterial for securing two body parts together, said body parts havingportions arranged Within the channel oi' said member and said stripbeing interposed between said coupling member and said portions andbeing placed under compression in passing said portions into said memberto couple said body parts together.

8. A panel mounting of the class described comprising a channeledmember, a recessed strip of rubber mounted in said channeled member, aportion of said panel being arranged in the recessed portion of saidstrip, said strip being under compression Within said member to retainsaid panel against displacement, and opposite Walls of said strip havingprojecting portions vadapted to flex in securing the panel Within and tosaid strip.

In testimony that claim the foregoing as my invention have signed myname this 13rd day of March, 1928.

'N :ARRY E. Sli-DE.

